A pair of Chiltern Railway services at London Marylebone, ready for their journeys to Birmingham Snow Hill. On the left is an eight-car multiple unit with 168217 in the lead which is just about to depart; on the right is a locomotive-hauled set powered by 68010 which will follow in half an hour. By Geof Sheppard via Wikimedia Commons

Heading for Oxford? Chiltern Railways has opened a new service: Trains are operating every 30 minutes from Marylebone station to Oxford Central, with a running time of 60 minutes. That’s competitive with the best times on the existing Great Western services from Paddington, and faster than many. Fares are competitive with fares on Great Western, starting at £7 (about $9) each way, off-peak.

Both routes operate with modern diesel multiple-unit trains, providing reasonable comfort levels by commuter standards. Presumably, most travelers will select which route based on whether they prefer Marylebone or Paddington for their London terminal.

— Ed Perkins, editor

For more travel tips from Ed Perkins, see our companion site Ed on Travel